Rex Ryan: I like our quarterback situation better than my first year

Posted by Josh Alper on July 19, 2013, 2:28 PM EST

AP

There have been no shortage of people making the claim that the Jets have the worst quarterbacking situation in the NFL heading into the 2013 season and that may very well be true, but coach Rex Ryan has identified at least one quarterback situation he thinks was worse than the Mark Sanchez/Geno Smith pairing.

It’s the first Jets team he took to camp as a head coach. In 2009, the Jets had a rookie Sanchez and Kellen Clemens competing for a starting job that Sanchez would have had to work hard to lose after the team traded up to take him the first round. Ryan said that he thought this year’s duo was “much better” than what he had on his hands back then.

“Obviously, [Sanchez] has had his ups and downs, but there’s a lot of positive things about what Mark’s accomplished, won four road playoff games,” Ryan said during an appearance on Morning Joe, via Bob Glauber of Newsday. “But this Geno Smith is really a talented young man. The whole team, we’re all about competition and certainly that’s going to be a lot of competition right there.”

It’s an incredibly low bar that Ryan set, which makes clearing it comfortably something less than a crowning achievement. The coach didn’t touch on the rest of the team around the quarterbacks, but it would seem the 2009 squad, which largely won in spite of its quarterback, has a big edge on that front. This Jets team doesn’t look to be capable of pulling off the same trick, which could render the quarterbacking comparisons moot.

27 responses to “Rex Ryan: I like our quarterback situation better than my first year”

“In an interview, Jets GM John Idzik said, ‘I like our coaching situation better than my first year.’ At press time, former Jets coach Rex Ryan was last seen at a local Chipotle asking for an application.”

Is it Rex’s ego that won’t allow him to pull the plug on Sanchez and say that he’s no good? Is it because he drafted Sanchez that he is so willing to ride or die with him? Could somebody please explain this to me?

Yea the QB situation maybe better this year then in 09, but the offensive line and RB spots are not what he had then too. Even the WR’s were better then they are now. As a Jets fan I can’t even listen to this garbage.

Ryan is doing his best to try to keep things positive considering he’s stuck with Sanchez, who is a proven bust, along his large contract, and he has future bust Gino Smith waiting in the wings. It’s downright depressing!